The effect of focalized narrative texts on reading comprehension of EFL learners at Arak University

Most studies on reading comprehension have concentrated on deciphering narrative texts developed conventionally. The present study investigated the effect of focalized texts on Iranian EFL learners’ comprehension measured by multiple-choice reading comprehension test items. 112 Iranian EFL learners (N=112) participated in the study. Each participant read two narrative short story texts in either the original or focalized versions. The readers’ reading comprehension in the multiple-choice task was measured through different types of reading comprehension test items that had been purposefully constructed on the basis of the objectives of the study. The result indicated that the readers’ comprehension was affected to some extent by all of the variables of the study although some were not supported statistically. It appears that proficiency and gender are directly more indicative of readers’ scores. The interaction among the variables measured through regression analyses demonstrated that the order of the effect of variables on reading comprehension was different. The general findings of the study give credit to the interactive view of reading in which every aspect of reader/text could affect reading comprehension.